enemy

/ˈɛnəmi/

/ˈɛnɛmi/

Other forms: enemies

An enemy is a hostile opponent, like your sworn Scrabble enemy who vows to get revenge on your last triple word score.

An enemy is a person who actively opposes someone or something. The Latin word inimicus, meaning "hostile, unfriendly," is the root of enemy, and it comes from the prefix in-, or "not," and amicus, "friend:" an enemy is "not a friend." When two armies fight each other, they both think of the opposing army as the enemy.

Definitions of enemy

1. noun

   a personal enemy
   synonyms: foe, nemesis

   types:

   mortal enemy

   an enemy who wants to kill you

   type of:

   challenger, competition, competitor, contender, rival

   the contestant you hope to defeat
2. noun

   an opposing military force
   “the enemy attacked at dawn”

   type of:

   force, military force, military group, military unit

   a unit that is part of some military service
3. noun

   an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
   “a soldier must be prepared to kill his enemies”

   synonyms: foe, foeman, opposition

   types:

   besieger

   an enemy who lays siege to your position

   type of:

   adversary, antagonist, opponent, opposer, resister

   someone who offers opposition
4. noun

   any hostile group of people
   “he viewed lawyers as the real enemy”

   type of:

   people

   (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively